The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-05-05

Christian circles, and somewhere and
somehow declare the grace OF God.
Pardon for all sin; comfort for all
trouble; eternal life for all TIE dead! 0,
my soul! preach it for ever. 1t has been
my ambition, and / believe it has been
yours, my dear people, in these years of
my ministry, to have this soul-saving
church, and we never yet threw out the
gospel net but we drew in great multi
tude. They have come, one hundred at a
time, and two hundred at a time, and two
hundred and fifty at a time, and l expect
| the day will appear when, in some service,
there will be three thousand souls accept
ing the off ers of eternal life.
Iwish could tel you some circum-
stances that have come under my observa-
ton, proving the fact that Col has
blessed the prayers of these people in be-
half of souls immortal. could tell you of
one night, when l stood at the end of the
platform, and gentleman passed me,
his cheek bronzed with the sea, and as he
went into the inquiry-room he said to me:
II am an Englishman.'
said: 81 am very glad to see you; walk
in"
That night he gave his heart to the Lord.
1t was clear case of quick but thorough
conversion, Passing out at the close of
the inquiry meeting, l said:
''How long have you been in this coun-
try?"
He said: 81 arrived by steamer this
morning at eleven o'clock.n
I said: "How long will you be in the
city!"
He said: ~ leave tomorrow for Can
ada, and thence ! go to Halifax, and
thence to Europe, and Tll never be here
again."
said: II think you must have come to
this country to have your soul saved!"
He said: s'That certainly was the rea-
son."
But I could tell you of a tragic scene :
When at the close of the service, found
man upon one of these front seats,
wrought upon most nightly, I said to
him:
what is the matters''
"He replied: 81 am captive of strong
drink; came from the West; thought,
perhaps, you might do me some good;
find you can't do me any good; find there
is no hope for me-"
said: "Come into this side room and
we will talk together"
s'Oh. no!' he said; '.there's no need of
my going in; am a lost man; have a
beautiful wife; Il have four beautiful
children; l had a fine profession; 1 have
had thorough education; had every op-
portanity a man ever had, but am cap
tive of strong drink; God only knows
what suffer-"
I said; ''Be encouraged; come in here
and we'll talk together about it."
"No," said he, 81 can't come; you can't
do me any good. 1 was on the Hudson
oil
down 1 resolved never again to touch
drop of strong drink. While sat there
man came ina low creature-and sat by
me; he had whisky flask, and he said
to me:
"Wfll you take drink!"
II said no; but oh, how wanted it'll and
as I said no it seemed that the liquor
curled up around the mouth of the flask
and begged:
"eTake mel take mel take me!'
81 felt that couldn't resist it, and yet
was determined not to drink, an rush
ed out on the platform of the car, and
thought W ould jump off; we were going
at the rate of forty miles an hour, AMI I
didn't dare to jump; the paroxysm of
thirst went off, and / am here to-hight.n
said: "Come In, pll pray for you and
commend you to God"
He came in trem bling. Some of you re.
member. After the service we walked
out and up the street. 1 said:
"You have an awful struggle; Pill take
you into drug store; perhaps the doctor
can give you some medicine that will help
you in your struggle, though. after all,
you will have to depend upon the grace Of
God.n
Isaid to the doctor:
"Can you give this man something to
help him i'll his battle against strong
drink?"
~ can," replied the doctor, and he pre-
pared bottle of medicine.
said; "There is no alcohol in this-no
strong drink9r
"None at all,' said the doctor.
''How long will this last?" I inquired.
at will last him a weeks
"Oh," said, 'give US another bottle"
We passed out into the street and stood
under the gaslight 1t was getting late,
and said to the man:
81 must part with you. Put your trust
| in the Lord and he will see you through.
You will make use of this medicine when
the paroxysm of thirst comes on.'
few weeks passed away, and got
letter from Boston, saying:
DEAR FRIEND-I inclose the money you
paid for that medicine. I have never used any
of it. The thirst for strong drink has entirely
gone away from me. I send you two or three
| newspapers to show you what have been
doing since came to Boston"
Iopeaed the newspapers and saw ac-
counts of meetings of two thousand or
three thousand people, to whom this man
had been preaching righteousness, tenn
perance, and Judgment to come. I have
| heard from him again and again since He
| is faithful now, and will, | know, be faith
full to the last. o, this work of soul saw
ing Would to God that out of this audi
ence to-day five hundred men might hear
the voice of the Son of God bidding them
come to a glorious resurrection
All the offers Of the gospel are extended
to you without money and without
price," and you are conscious of the fact
that these opportunities will soon be
gone forever. The conductor of a rail-
train was telling me of the fact that he
was one night standing by his train on a
side track, his train having been switched
off so that the express train might dart
past unhindered. He said while he stood
there in the darkness beside his train on
the side track, he heard the thunder of the
pYnrpSS in tho OF Thop ba q, Wv, Al,